


comfort

by nonbinaryezrabridger



Series: stargate trope bingo [7]
Category: Stargate Universe
Genre: Gen, Healing from trauma, Platonic Cuddling, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, don’t copy to other sites
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:54:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23645737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nonbinaryezrabridger/pseuds/nonbinaryezrabridger
Summary: After being captured by the Nakai, Rush and Chloe find comfort in each other.
Relationships: Chloe Armstrong & Nicholas Rush
Series: stargate trope bingo [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1698106
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	comfort

**Author's Note:**

> written for the "hurt/comfort" square on my stargate trope bingo.
> 
> tw for this story:
> 
> discussion of non consensual surgery, mind r*pe, trauma breakdowns

\-------

Some nights, he dreams of them cutting him open. 

He knows it must have happened at some point, for there to be a tracker in his chest, but he doesn’t remember it happening. That’s almost worse; his imagination can fill in the blanks and leave him shaking with terror and violation. 

He still remembers how it feels, to have an alien mind forced into his, the thoughts cold and disorganized and for the lack of a better word, alien. It had hurt, like nothing else in his life ever had. Because it wasn’t just pain, it was the violation too. Having what was supposed to be his private space, the one space that he could claim all his own, his sanctuary from the horrors done to his body, torn away from him. 

He dreams of them pulling things from his mind, images of destiny and the word surrender in english and even his feelings about Colonel Young. He had resisted, of course he had, but he hadn’t been able to stop them. 

God, why wouldn’t it stop.

It’s over, and yet every time he closes his eyes he’s back there, floating in that tank. Why can’t he just move on? 

He gets up from his bed, knowing only two things that will help him calm down: tea and Chloe. He heads to the mess hall first—which is empty thankfully—-and grabs a cup of tea to take with him. Then he walks to Chloe’s room, as quickly as he can on his unsteady legs. He knocks on her door and hopes desperately that she’s here and not roaming the ship as she often does. 

The door clanks open and she’s there, her face drawn and bags under her eyes. She’s not sleeping any better than he is. When she sees him though, she smiles, and isn’t that rare? How many other people in his life smile when they see him? 

He rasps out:

“May I come in?”

Then she’s taking his hand in her small, soft hand and pulling him inside. She tugs him down to sit on the edge of the bed and he goes stiffly. She lays her head on his shoulder and hums a tune. It’s enough that tears begin to drip down his cheeks and she notices. She wipes them away with her sleeve and says:

“We’re going to be okay.”

He chokes out:

“I don’t know how to believe that.”

She smiles like sunshine and says:

“That’s okay, it’s true whether you believe it or not.”

He sobs at that, at being told that he will survive this, and a part of him is disgusted with his weakness. But then Chloe pulls him into a hug and everything is gone from his mind but the simple comfort of an embrace. He can feel that she’s begun to cry as well, her tears wetting his shirt, and he brings a hand up to stroke over her back, trying to comfort her like she’s comforting him. He’s no good at it, but at least he can try. 

They end up cuddled close on the bed and Chloe pulls the blanket up, cocooning them in warmth. Rush relaxes into her arms and feels the sobs slowing. She’s still shaking, so he keeps running his hand over her shoulder blades. She whispers:

“I want to try to sleep.”

He responds:

“Go ahead. You’re safe here.”

She looks up at him with huge blue eyes and asks:

“Promise me you’ll be here when I wake up?” 

He has been planning on slipping away but he can’t bring himself to crush her hopes that way, so he just says:

“Yes, I promise.”

And settles deeper into her bed.

————

Chloe wakes up warm, the way she is when she’s cuddled up with another person, sharing their body heat. For a moment she assumes it’s Scott in her bed, but when she opens her eyes, last night comes rushing back. She stares at Rush, who appears to be sleeping peacefully. She takes in the delicate lines around his eyes, the aquiline nose, the scruffy facial hair that she wonders how he keeps it exactly that length. It’s strange to be this close to him; he’s distant even with her, at least he was. She wonders, now that they’ve spent an evening sobbing in each other’s arms, whether he’ll allow her to be closer to him, or pull away again. 

She tries to stay still, hoping not to wake him, but her arm is falling asleep. As she shifts it, he jerks awake. His eyes snap open and for a moment they’re full of confusion, before understanding bleeds back in.

She smiles a him and says:

“Good morning.”

He pulls away from her, untangling their legs, and sits up as he says:

“Good morning.”

Chloe straightens her shirt and finger combs her hair in an approximation of her morning routine. She actually feels well rested and she wonders out loud:

“I don’t think I’ve slept that well in weeks.”

Rush looks up, and he too looks better than he did last night. He gives her a intent look before saying:

“Perhaps we need to do this more often.”

Chloe can’t help but be surprised; that was the last thing she expected from him. She asks:

“Really? You don’t find it awkward?”

He gives her a weak smile and says:

“At this point I’m desperate enough to take any sleep I can get. I won’t make it awkward if you don’t.”

Chloe smiles and reaches out to take his hand again, glad that she’s not alone in this horrible experience. He, to her surprise, holds on just as tightly as she does. They cling to each other for a moment longer before she lets go and asks:

“Want to get some breakfast?”

He nods, his hair falling in his face. She wonders how it doesn’t bother him, being at the perfect length to get in his eyes. She stands and he follows and they leave the room, strolling through the halls on the way to the mess hall. Despite his prickly personality, Rush is a pretty good conversationalist, so by the time they’ve reached the mess hall they’re deep in conversation. They get their food and settle down at a table, happily chatting, the horrors of the previous night forgotten.

\--------


End file.
